Joe Farrell is a saxophonist who produced a track called Upon This Rock back in the 70s. Not normally that big a deal, I’d say. Except for the fact that this song was sampled in everything. Some of the biggest hip hop groups have used this sample to make some killer hits

But now there is trouble. His daughter has brought a suit against Kanye, Common, Method Man, and Redman. Also their labels. She’s alleging that they used the sample without permission.

It’s a sad story, and Pitchfork has a bit more of the details.

“Those tunes? Kanye’s “Gone” from Late Registration, Common’s “Chi-City” from Be (incidentally, also produced by Kanye), and Method Man and Redman’s RZA-produced “Run 4 Cover” from 1999’s collaborative LP Blackout! The lawsuit claims that the tune was used without approval, a familiar story in the annals of rap history.”

I guess I understand the desire to protect your father’s work, and no one likes being “ripped off”. But everytime something like this comes up I always get that brief flash where I assume it’s a money thing. The fact that the daughter is only suing for 1 million would, at first, belay that suspicion. But then again a mil is a lot fo money, even if these guys are worth a lot more.